People with aphasia can do many things that they used to do. They can pursue familiar hobbies and interests. Their likes and dislikes will be about the same. However, they may be more oriented to pictures than to words.
Here are some activities that people with aphasia enjoy
- Participating in the daily routine.
- Cooking, cleaning, shopping.
- If the person with aphasia can handle money, s/he can shop alone.
- Listening to family members and friends.
- Playing with grandchildren.
- Watching TV, especially sports, news and movies.
- Going to the movies or renting movies.
- Games, such as card games and dominoes.
- Playing checkers or chess.
- Doing jigsaw puzzles (either easier or harder).
- Gardening
- Caring for pets.
- Exercise, going for walks, dancing, swimming, biking.
- Social gatherings – they can be excellent listeners!
- Participating in religious services or social clubs.
- Singing
- Listening to music on the radio or CD’s.
- Making and looking at photo albums.
- Looking at magazines, newspapers and books with lots of pictures.
- Drawing, making collages (gluing objects on paper), using glitter glue to make designs
- Taking photos with a camera.
- Sending greeting cards – they can sign their name, or use a sticker, stamp or “X”
- Can people with aphasia drive? A stroke can affect the movement of arms and legs. It can also affect vision, awareness, concentration, and judgement. After a stroke, a person should be cleared by their doctor before attempting to drive. Special testing may be required.
NYC Aphasia Groups 